Archive for October, 2014

Another Golden Valley addition project, this time it is a 70′s rambler walk out that needs help. The couple had done a really nice job renovating the kitchen and inside but the lower add-on isn’t working well for them plus the roof of the add-on is an eyesore. The challenge is to get rid of the add-on, rework the circulation by adding a better central stair and build a new master bedroom addition. The backyard needs some definition as well and an addition will help create better exterior spaces.

Before

Before

Before

The owners didn’t want the addition to stand out as too different than their existing house but they were open to something more modern. The design of the addition uses hip roofs like the original house but uses them in a different way. The model shows the roof slopes as similar, but the end hip roof continues down farther than the original roof to bring the scale of the 2 story addition lower to the ground. Also, instead of the dated overhangs, we decided to make the new addition more modern and crisp by eliminating the overhangs in favor of a more sculptural look. I thought it would also by nice to conceal the new deck structure with decorative concrete blocks which are represented by the green wall in the model. There would be storage underneath the deck for any lawn and garden equipment.

The first Bed Box prototype is under construction in Lino Lakes, Minnesota!

The Bed Box is a sleeping pavilion consisting of red plastic solar panels. It is a small retreat that glows like a lantern and provides task lights for reading at night. There will be an outlet for a computer as well. All of the electricity is supplied by the red plastic panels and stored in batteries under the floor. The inner space will formed by attaching white translucent panels to the wooden frame. These walls will frame views at both ends of the box. The ends can also be closed when not in use.